Powerhead

ABSTRACT

A powerhead which comprises a cylindrical barrel to receive and retain a cartridge. The barrel is placed over a cylindrical head attached to the end of a fishing spear. The head is capped with a firing pin which is held spaced from the cartridge rim and in cocked position by at least one friction ring interposed between the barrel and the head. The cartridge is fired by thrusting the spear to jam the outer end of the barrel into the shark or fish, thereby pushing the barrel back past the friction ring to where the firing pin on the head strikes the cap of the cartridge. The kit comprises a mount which is strapped on the fisherman&#39;&#39;s arm and is provided with several of these loaded powerheads and an ordinary spear tip which may also be placed on the end of the spear and held by at least one friction ring. This permits the fisherman to fish with the usual spear tip, but in the event of the appearance of a shark or other predators, rapidly to substitute a loaded powerhead for such spear tip.

United States Patent 1191 Ah Sam Apr. 22, 1975 POWERHEAD Lawrence .1. Ah Sam, 3534 Farmdale Ave, Los Angeles, Calif. 90016 [22] Filed: Oct. 20, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 190,833

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 102/48; 43/6 [51] Int. Cl. F42b 13/54 [58] Field of Search 102/48; 43/6 {56} References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.274936 9/1966 Messina et a1. 102/48 3.580.172 5/1971 Hendricks 102/48 Primary E.\'uminerRobert F. Stahl Attorney, Agent, or FirmWilliam H. Pavitt. Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A powerhead which comprises a cylindrical barrel to receive and retain a cartridge. The barrel is placed over a cylindrical head attached to the end of a fishing spear. The head is capped with a firing pin which is held spaced from the cartridge rim and in cocked position by at least one friction ring interposed between the barrel and the head. The cartridge is fired by thrusting the spear to jam the outer end of the barrel into the shark or fish, thereby pushing the barrel back past the friction ring to where the firing pin on the head strikes the cap of the cartridge.

The kit comprises a mount which is strapped on the fishermans arm and is provided with several of these loaded powerheads and an ordinary spear tip which may also be placed on the end of the spear and held by at least one friction ring. This permits the fisherman to fish with the usual spear tip. but in the event of the appearance of a shark or other predators. rapidly to substitute a loaded powerhead for such spear tip.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures POWERHEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Patentee Patent No. Date Granted Frohlich 2.970.399 Feb. 7. 1%!

Willcox et al 3.145.494 Aug. 25. I964 Liberatore 3.2lll.877 Oct. 12. I965 Messina et al 3.274.936 Sept. 27. [96b Belcher et al 3.300.888 Jan. 3 I. I967 Hendricks 3.58ll.l72 May 25. I97],

The principle of a powerhead generally is to provide for holding some type of projectile. together with means to project it. in a barrel or other receptacle on the end of a spear. and causing the projectile to be dis charged by telescopic action produced by jamming the end of the spear on which the powerhead is disposed into the side. head or other vulnerable part of the body of the shark or other underwater predator. In all but one of the prior art patents the projectile is a bullet disposed in a standard cartridge and the discharge of the bullet is accomplished by providing some means through the telescopic action of the head to bring a firing pin into impacting contact with the cap containing base of the cartridge.

As may be seen from the disclosure of these patents. there are obviously many ways to accomplish this desired result. However. these prior art powerheads have been either complicated and expensive to manufacture. unreliable in use. and/or difficult rapidly to replace for a second or third shot. should the first prove ineffective to destroy or ward off the shark.

Another problem with these prior art powerheads is that they require a diver to carry with him a second spear with the usual spear tip if he wishes to fish in the normal manner and yet still have available his powerhead for defense against sharks or other underwater predators.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved powerhead which is extremely simple in construction so that it may be easily and inexpensively fabricated.

In essence. the end of the spear is provided with an adapter which may be threaded onto the end of the spear. This adapter includes a cylindrical axial projection which is tipped with a firing pin. and is circumscribed by at least one. and preferably two, grooves in each of which is disposed a friction ring which protrudes slightly beyond the cylindrical surface of the axial projection. The powerhead itself comprises a barrel to pass the cartridge bullet. an intermediate slightly counterbored section to receive the cartridge shell and a second and main counterbored section having an outside diameter such that it slidably receives in a close fit the cylindrical axial projection of the adapter and resistingly engages the friction ring or rings in the circumferential grooves about said projection.

The powerhead is first loaded with a cartridge and then the main counterbored section of the barrel is forced partially over the friction rings where it is held on the end of the end of the spear. There then remains a chamber between firing pin tipped end of the projection and the base of the cartridge. The barrel wall defining this chamber is orificed to permit water which accumulates therein to be extruded therefrom upon the telescoping of the main counterbored section over the cylindrical axial projection. Such action occurs when the other end of the barrel is forcibly jammed into the body or head of the shark. thereby overcoming the re sistance of the friction rings inside the main counterbored section so that the firing pin is caused to strike the cartridge base cap.

Since the powerhead is only secured to the spear end projection by the frictional engagement of the rings. it may be readily removed therefrom by gripping it with ones hand and jerking it off. Because of this feature. the present invention also contemplates providing an arm mounted kit or set comprising a plurality of loaded powerheads and a conventional spear tip. each of which is also adapted to be mounted by friction rings both on a pivotable cylindrical element on a narrow plastic platen strapped on the divers arm. as well as on the cylindrical axial projection of the spear end.

With the use of this kit. the diver is equipped to spear fish with a conventional spear head. but with the appearance of a shark or other dangerous predator. he may jerk off the conventional spear tip. place it on its kit holder and quickly substitute on the spear end a loaded powerhead. Further. should his first shot fail. he may in sequence replace the first powerhead with two more loaded powerheads.

Thus. the present invention offers great advantages to the skin or scuba diver or other underwater fishermen over the prior art powerhead devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view partly in section of a kit made up in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 22 of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing further the removal of the barrelhead.

FIG. 4 is an elevation partly in section showing a conventional speartip type head attached to the end retainer element; and

FIG. 5 is an elevation partly in section showing the manner in which the barrelhead may be substituted for the spear head shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the pivotable member for mounting a barrelhead or speartip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a flat elongated element 10 which is provided with pairs of straps 12 at each end so that the element may be strapped around the spear fisherman s forearm. The element 10 includes a plurality of spring clip members 14 which are preferably aligned and spaced from each other in the manner shown. and a plurality of registering pivoted members 16. Each of the pivoted members 16 includes trunion-type base 18 which supports a perpendicular riser l9 orificed at 20 to permit a pin 22 to be passed therethrough and through the bifurcated lower ends 24 of the cylindrical member 16. The upper area of the member 25 is circumscribed by a groove 26 into which is seated a split friction ring 28. The function and use of this type mounting will be explained more fully at a later point in this specification.

As may be seen from FIG. I. there may be mounted on the element 10 a plurality of barrelheads 30 and a pointed spear-tip 32. Considering first the barrelhead 30 which is shown in FIG. 5 mounted on the end of a fishing spear 34. the actual spear mount comprises an elongated cylindrical element 36 which may be internally orificed and threated at 38 to be screwed on to the threaded tip 40 of the spear 34. The element 36 projects axially from the threaded spear tip and includes an end portion 42 of a pre-selected diameter. At least one and preferably a pair of grooves 44 spaced from each other circumscribe the end portion 36 and similarly receive a split ring 46. The outer end of the element 36 is tipped with a sharp projection 45 which serves as a firing pin.

The barrelhead 30 comprises a first section 48 having a bore 49 which is of sufficient diameter and length to allow a bullet 50 to be shot therethrough and therefrom; a second section 52, which is counterbored at 53 sufficiently to receive a cartridge shell 54'. and a third counterbored section 56 having a counterbore 57 of a sufficient diameter to permit the base 58 of the cartridge shell 54 to move axially therethrough. This diameter is only slightly greater than the preselected diameter of the element 36 whenever referred to. The spear tip 32 includes an axial bore 60 of the same diameter as that of the counterbore 57 in the section 56 of the barrelhead 30.

In use. it may be seen first that a scuba diver or other spear fisherman. when equipped with a kit in accordance with the present invention, may initially cap his spear with the spear tip 32 in the manner shown in FIG. 4. To do so. it is only necessary for him to force the bore 60 on to the end portion 42 of the element 36 sufficiently to overcome the frictional engagement of the inner wall defining the bore 60, which engagement is caused by the friction rings 46.

in the event that the underwater fisherman sights a shark or other predator or even a large fish which he may not be able to kill with the spear tip 32. he may simply grasp the tip 32 and jerk it off the end bore 32 of the element 36. He would thereupon mount the tip 32 on the lefthand holder of his kit. as shown in FIG. 1. essentially reversing the steps shown in FIG. 2. When the tip 32 is thus remounted on the armholder element 10. the fisherman grasps a barrelhead 30 from one of the three mountings on the right side ofthe element 10, pulling it away from the latter in the manner shown in FIG. 3. He then partially forces the barrelhead 30 on to the portion 42 of the element 36 to the point where only the forward friction ring 46a is moved out of sight and the inner friction ring 46b is brought into abutment with the chamfered seat 62 which constitutes the outer end of the bore 57. At this point. the spear is now equipped as a powerhead and the cartridge may be fired by the fisherman simply by jamming the end 31 of the barrelhead 30 against the body of the shark or fish with sufficient force to overcome the frictional resistance provided by the ring 46b in the chamfered seat 62 of the bore 57. As may be seen from FIGv 5, when the barrelhead is disposed upon the end portion 42 of the element 36, the firing pin 45 is spaced from the cap base 58 of the cartridge shell 54. there being in effect a small chamber 64 which is vented to the water by an orifice 66. With the jamming of the end 31 of the barrelhead 30 against the body of the shark. the barrelhead is telescoped over the end portion 42 of the element 36 to bring the firing pin 45 into impacting contact with the shell base. thereby discharging it.

Should the fisherman ascertain that this shot is not sufficient to kill the shark or fish. and he has sufficient time. he may jerk off the barrelhead with the spent cartridge. replace it in the clip from which it was removed. and repeat the operation with a second or even third loaded barrelhead.

It may be seen. therefore. that with this novel powerhead combination and kit arrangement. a scuba diver. skin diver or other under water fisherman may be versatilely equipped to engage in normal spear fishing as well as to defend himself or augment his spear fishing kill capacity.

The units. moreover. being both simple in construction may be manufactured at a low cost and very readily utilized.

I claim:

1. A powerhead combination, said powerhead comprising:

A. An elongated element. said element being securable to the end of a fishing spear as a projection thereof and having a configuration such that its cross-section is substantially identical for a predetermined distance from its free end. said element being tipped on its free end with a firing pin;

B. A barrelhead. said barrelhead comprising a sleeve having:

i. a first section axially orificed to permit the discharge fired from a cartridge to pass therethrough;

ii. a second and counterbored section to receive a cartridge shell and to retain it for firing; and

iii. a third axially orificed section. the cross-section of said third section being identical in configuration to the cross-section of said elongated element for said predetermined distance. but sufficiently larger in its dimensions. compared to those of the cross-section of said elongated ele ment, to permit slidable insertion of said element. in the axial orifice of said third section in a close telescoping fit; and

C. Yieldable means interposed between the adjacent surfaces of said element and the orifice-defining wall of said third section to provide a predetermined quantum of frictional resistance to the telescoping of said element and said third section of said barrelhead;

whereby. when a cartridge is loaded into said second section of the barrelhead and the third section of the barrelhead is partially axially slipped over said element. the cartridge will be fired by any impacting of the free end of the barrelhead occasioned by jamming the spear into an object. which impacting is sufficient to overcome said predetermined quantum of frictional resistance and thereby cause the further telescoping of the element and barrelhead to where the firing pin strikes the cap end of the cartridge disposed in the second section of the barrelhead.

2. The powerhead combination as described in claim I, wherein the cross-sections of the element and third section of the barrelhead are circular.

3. The powerhead combination as described in claim 2. wherein the yieldable means comprises at least one groove circumscribing the said element and a split friction ring seated in said groove. said ring having a radius slightly greater than the radius of said element.

4. The powerhead combination as described in claim 2, wherein the yieldable means comprises:

a. a pair of grooves spaced axially from each other and circumscribing the said element; and

b. a split friction ring seated in each said groove. each said ring having a radius slightly greater than the radius of said element.

5. A spear fishing kit for use with a spear to one end of which is secured an elongated element as described in claim 1, said kit comprising a flat holding member. said member having means to secure it to a spear fisherman for easy manual access to the member. said member also having means to releasably hold. and including:

i. at least one cartridge-loaded barrelhead. also as described in claim I; and

ii. a spear head. said spear head having a pointed tip at one end and being axially orificed at its other end. the cross-section of said orifice being identical in configuration to the cross-section of the said elongated element described in claim 1, but sufficiently larger in its dimensions. compared to those of the cross-section of said element. as to permit slidable insertion of said element in said orifice in a close telescoping fit; and yieldable means interposable between the adjacent surfaces of said element and the wall defining the orifice in said spearhead when the latter is placed over said element. to provide a predetermined quantity of frictional resistance to the telescoping of said element and said spear head.

6. The spear fishing kit as described in claim 5. wherein the means releasably to hold said barrelhead and said spear head comprise elements similar in configuration and dimensions to those of said element described in claim I, and include similar yieldable means similarly interposable; and each of the kit elements is pivotable outwardly from said flat member about one of the ends of said element. 

1. A powerhead combination, said powerhead comprising: A. An elongated element, said element being securable to the end of a fishing spear as a projection thereof and having a configuration such that its cross-section is substantially identical for a pre-determined distance from its free end, said element being tipped on its free end with a firing pin; B. A barrelhead, said barrelhead comprising a sleeve having: i. a first section axially orificed to permit the discharge fired from a cartridge to pass therethrough; ii. a second and counterbored section to receive a cartridge shell and to retain it for firing; and iii. a third axially orificed section, the cross-section of said third section being identical in configuration to the cross-section of said elongated element for said predetermined distance, but sufficiently larger in its dimensions, compared to those of the cross-section of said elongated element, to permit slidable insertion of said element, in the axial orifice of said third section in a close telescoping fit; and C. Yieldable means interposed between the adjacent surfaces of said element and the orifice-defining wall of said third section to provide a predetermined quantum of frictional resistance to the telescoping of said element and said third section of said barrelhead; Whereby, when a cartridge is loaded into said second section of the barrelhead and the third section of the barrelhead is partially axially slipped over said element, the cartridge will be fired by any impacting of the free end of the barrelhead occasioned by jamming the spear into an object, which impacting is sufficient to overcome said predetermined quantum of frictional resistance and thereby cause the further telescoping of the element and barrelhead to where the firing pin strikes the cap end of the cartridge disposed in the second section of the barrelhead.
 1. A powerhead combination, said powerhead comprising: A. An elongated element, said element being securable to the end of a fishing spear as a projection thereof and having a configuration such that its cross-section is substantially identical for a pre-determined distance from its free end, said element being tipped on its free end with a firing pin; B. A barrelhead, said barrelhead comprising a sleeve having: i. a first section axially orificed to permit the discharge fired from a cartridge to pass therethrough; ii. a second and counterbored section to receive a cartridge shell and to retain it for firing; and iii. a third axially orificed section, the cross-section of said third section being identical in configuration to the cross-section of said elongated element for said predetermined distance, but sufficiently larger in its dimensions, compared to those of the cross-section of said elongated element, to permit slidable insertion of said element, in the axial orifice of said third section in a close telescoping fit; and C. Yieldable means interposed between the adjacent surfaces of said element and the orifice-defining wall of said third section to provide a predetermined quantum of frictional resistance to the telescoping of said element and said third section of said barrelhead; Whereby, when a cartridge is loaded into said second section of the barrelhead and the third section of the barrelhead is partially axially slipped over said element, the cartridge will be fired by any impacting of the free end of the barrelhead occasioned by jamming the spear into an object, which impacting is sufficient to overcome said predetermined quantum of frictional resistance and thereby cause the further telescoping of the element and barrelhead to where the firing pin strikes the cap end of the cartridge disposed in the second section of the barrelhead.
 2. The powerhead combination as described in claim 1, wherein the cross-sections of the element and third section of the barrelhead are circular.
 3. The powerhead combination as described in claim 2, wherein the yieldable means comprises at least one groove circumscribing the said element and a split friction ring seated in said groove, said ring having a radius slightly greater than the radius of said element.
 4. The powerhead combination as described in claim 2, wherein the yieldable means comprises: a. a pair of grooves spaced axially from each other and circumscribing the said element; and b. a split friction ring seated in each said groove, each said ring having a radius slightly greater than the radius of said element.
 5. A spear fishing kit for use with a spear to one end of which is secured an elongated element as described in claim 1, said kit comprising a flat holding member, said member having means to secure it to a spear fisherman for easy manual access to the member, said member also having means to releasably hold, and including: i. at least one cartridge-loaded barrelhead, also as described in claim 1; and ii. a spear head, said spear head having a pointed tip at one end and being axially orificed at its other end, the cross-section of said orifice being identical in configuration to the cross-section of the said elongated element described in claim 1, but sufficiently larger in its dimensions, compared to those of the cross-section of said element, as to permit slidable insertion of Said element in said orifice in a close telescoping fit; and yieldable means interposable between the adjacent surfaces of said element and the wall defining the orifice in said spearhead when the latter is placed over said element, to provide a predetermined quantity of frictional resistance to the telescoping of said element and said spear head. 